Real estate listings with inaccurate information

Every so often, I take a look at real estate listings in our city. Quite often, I will notice that a realtor has made significant errors in the listings. I recently came across one that states that a property located smack in the middle of a residential zone is "zoned commercial." While it is really not my business to correct the realtor, it would certainly make our life easier here in the city planning office if potential buyers were not misled. So my question is - should I mind my own business, or should I contact the realtor and them her know that the listing is inaccurate?

I've called a few realtors to tell them about mistakes, and the results are mixed. Some, usually the newer ones, essentially tell me to mind my own business. But since this state imposes heavy liability on realtors who misrepresent properties, the more experienced ones are grateful. During the recent real estate boom I gave a talk to a group of realtors and mentioned that a large part of my former real estate and land use law practice consisted of undoing problems created by realtors, and that wasn't so well received.

Thanks Otis. I took your advice and called the realtor. I have no idea if they will actually change the listing, but at least now they are aware that the property is zoned residential, not commercial, and that it is in a floodplain and therefore would be extremely difficult to develop. I am going to keep my fingers crossed that this will prevent them from continuing to market it as a "great location for self-storage or a mechanic's garage"!